Mallow man Adrian Healy achieved a unique distinction on Tuesday when he became the first Mallow person to swim the English Channel solo. The swim from England to France is about 21 miles in distance, and is a tough challenge due to currents and weather conditions. In 2019 Adrian made his first Channel attempt, but poor weather forced him to leave the water when in sight of the French coast. It was a crushing blow, but Adrian put the disappointment behind him and redoubled his efforts this year to make it second time lucky. He got into the water on the English coast in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and 11 hours and 49 minutes later he stepped onto the rocks on the French coast, raising his arm in victory as supporters in the Louise Jane boat cheered. Adrian raised money for Mallow Day Care Centre as part of his swim.